I have a friend who has recently been undergoing treatment for depression. A bit odd as she is in her mid-60’s and hasn’t had this problem before.
I have been depressed all my life, I used to think I was manic-depressive, but I noticed the manic part was far & few between, while the depression
knocked at my mind’s door, whenever I was not keeping busy enough. Anyhow I was trying to explain to her that depression, much like using meth
is simply a big lie. I explain that normally, when you are feeling as bad as you will while depressed, would require that some horrible event had just
taken place, for example maybe a family member had just died, or maybe even your beloved pet. However you see neither of those things had actually
taken place, yet here you are, feeling hurt and unhappy. That is why I call it The Big Lie, it try’s to have it’s way with you, while all along, nothing
physically bad has even happened. Anyhow after a lifetime of study I now tend to examine my feelings before allowing myself to feel much of anything.
I’m sure that sounds odd, but that has become my defense mechanism. If I suddenly feel happy, or sad I immediately wonder Why? Of course if I just
sparked up I already know why and I am celebrating the happy that is coming through. Obviously my defense mechanism is really more for the more
numerous times in my day when I feel unhappy, and I know that while telling yourself that your feelings are incorrect does not automatically repair
them, it has helped me to stop the bad, at least long enough to recognize that it is largely meaningless, which is the fact of the matter.

I bet many of you guys deal with depression yourselves, and I wonder how you deal with your demons?